Kevin Rudd must come clean on planned public service cuts

Kevin Rudd and Penny Wong must come clean and explain why the Labor Party asked the Independent Parliamentary Budget Office to cost a 20,000 reduction in public servants. Documents released by Penny Wong today show Labor made the confidential request outside of the caretaker period in March this year. The only reason Labor could have for costing this policy is if Mr Rudd is considering a 20,000 reduction in the public service. It’s no wonder Kevin Rudd and Penny Wong are in a mad scramble for cash, with the Budget bottom line deteriorating by $3 billion each week under Labor. Kevin Rudd has made billions of dollars worth of promises this campaign, including his uncosted company tax cut in the Northern Territory, a $114 billion fast rail and the $6 billion relocation of the Australian Navy from Sydney. The Australian people deserve to know what Kevin Rudd and Penny Wong are secretly planning. There is no ambiguity about the Coalition’s position. We have clearly stated that, if elected, we will reduce the Commonwealth public service by 12,000 through natural attrition. Independent fact checking units have found Labor’s claims that an incoming Coalition Government would cut 20,000 jobs to be false. It would seem Labor’s hysterical lies are designed to avoid scrutiny over its own plans to cut the public service. 28 August 2013